Whether you are identifying new business or job opportunities, it is all about “lead generation”. In order to secure clients, customers or a job, it is imperative that you are playing in the correct pond. Assuming you know what pond you want to play in.

I’m talking about finding people to follow and engage with across the various social platforms (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Google+)

Google+

Google+ may not be as widely used as other social networks, however, that works in your favor- it is easier to make a bigger splash. Once you’ve identified companies you want to work for, search for employees, add them to your circle, and begin engaging with their posts/shared content.

The great thing about Google+ is, that like Twitter, you don’t need to “know” the person you are adding to your circle. You can freely see their posts and comment on them.

LinkedIn

Here are two simple ways to generate leads via LinkedIn.

Follow companies of interest to keep up with the latest news and updates

Monitor the groups you belong to for relevant discussions, news and opportunities to share and engage

Twitter

Twitter is pretty powerful for real-time search! Find people and companies you are interested in working for and follow them on Twitter. You don’t need their permission, it’s an open network. Here are some suggestions for finding and following Tweeps.

Watch what they are saying online. Look for news they are sharing and whenever you have the opportunity, share what they are doing. Consider yourself their PR person. It can get you on their radar and from there, you can build a more substantial connection.

Facebook

Besides the obvious “liking” a company page, ask yourself what brands/products/services might your target companies be interested in. “Like” those groups or pages so you can hear what they are talking about. Don’t just lurk- engage by sharing advice or resources. Remember the old adage, give to get!

Go Give It A Try

Sure, this all takes time. Choose one platform (LinkedIn would be my suggestion) and get comfortable with it, then you can expand to the others. They say it is easier to learn new foreign languages once you already have one or two under your belt. Let’s see if the same is true for the language of social networks!

If you would like to learn more about social networking, reputation management and how you can own your digital terrain, you can check out my site: Careersherpa.net or follow me on Twitter @Careersherpa

Before you dive into Google+, or your job search, I beg of you to consider this first! Searching for jobs on the job boards is one of the LEAST successful job search methods, yet the one most job seekers over-indulge in. You won’t find jobs posted on Google+, you will find people who may have potential opportunities!

Proactive Job Search

Defined by me (and others as well) as one in which you are seeking information from target company contacts about opportunities that may not yet be public. A proactive job search is one you have control over.

Reactive Job Search

This is the type of search where all you do is apply for jobs that are announced on job boards. You spend most of your time just applying to jobs and are most likely one of hundreds or thousands applying. Obviously, this type of search requires less effort and also nets poorer results.

Define Your Target Audience

Just ask yourself, “Who are the employers that would hire this type of position?”. If you don’t know that answer to that question, ask people you know if they have the answer. You can also visit your public library or check out some of the resources in Going Directly to the Source.

Now, On to the fun stuff!

If you haven’t heard about Google Plus (Google+) yet, you will probably want to check it out. Whether you are an active or a passive job seeker, this tool has some great features and Search Engine power (it is a Google product!). You can read more about the features and benefits of Google Plus on Google+ Opens Up…Should You Jump On for Job Search?

Finding Targets on Google+

After you have created your robust Google Plus profile and shared at least one interesting/on brand post/update on Google+, you are ready to create circles and start adding people to your circles.

I suggest creating circles by target company to make it easy and clear to follow what they are saying and doing. If it is easier for you to create a circle called “Target Companies” that’s fine too.

There are endless opportunities to network and expand your sphere of influence!

Searching Within Google+

Of course you can search for the company name from Google+’s search window as well. You will find all sorts of people and companies talking there! Select different filters “everything”, “from everyone” or “from everywhere”. Go see what happens!

Now What

So you’ve got these people in your circles, big deal?!

Step 1: Go to your “Home”

Step 2: Select a circle

Step 3: See what they are saying

See what they are talking about (personally and professionally). Look for opportunities to join their discussions or share information they are sharing. (They’ll see you do that!) What you are trying to do, subtly, is get their attention.

Add These Career Guides and Gurus

It is as simple as clicking on this image below (once you have a Google+ profile). You can add my circle of career experts to your collection of circles and always be up to date on job search and career advice.

For all those nay-sayers out there, I am happy to share the news that YES, social networking does work! But only if you are using it!

As with most networking, you can never be sure where or how your connections will be able to help, you just have to believe.

The Social Exchange

I am fairly active on Twitter and I am dabbling with Google Plus. Though most of my exchanges are on Twitter, there is something really nice about being able to have a dialogue on Google Plus as you are not limited to 140 characters. This is exactly what happened when I shared a post on Google Plus and received the following response/comment:

I loved this description of what they were looking for and I immediately posted it on the Career Navigator LinkedIn group, for job seekers who have gone through the 5day boot camp. There were several people in this group who responded and at least one of the inquiries turned out to be the Goddess!

This is why it worked:

Because many job seekers aren’t active yet on Google Plus, I knew I had to share the opportunity where it could be found- a LinkedIn group.

Most importantly, I knew the company, not well, but had been following them on Twitter for at least a year and we had shared information with each other previously. There was an existing familiarity and I was happy to help. Trust, familiarity, and willingness to help. This is why social networking works!

Now, from the employers side of the desk:

My partner and I have a pretty unusual business, we create large-scale balloon installations and balloon-based illustrations (You really need to see for yourself: www.airigami.com) Business has been going very well- but as we’ve been growing- our need for someone else to help manage all of the details that come along with that growth was becoming more and more apparent. So we spent many an evening trying to craft the perfect description of our ideal candidate, what skills they might have, etc etc. And we could never seem to list them all- we jokingly said we needed to hire someone who’d know what they were supposed to be doing.

When I first posted to your google+ page, in response to a discussion about hiring/job openings in Rochester, I rather cheekily said we needed a Goddess and listed a few super-powers. It was enough to intrigue a candidate to apply for the position. We hired her. She seems, (and her references glowingly agree) to be the sort of person you could put into any situation, and she’d find not only the most important things that needed to be done- but facilitate getting them done. This is EXACTLY what we need, and I’m glad we snatched her up!

THANK YOU!!

I am fairly certain, many smaller employers are perplexed and a bit overwhelmed by how to hire the right person. It is a daunting task and one they do not enter into lightly nor want to repeat. Social networking tools allow small and even large employers to tap into their networks and source candidates (for free). As a matter of fact, in the CareerXroads study, the single largest source of external hiring was from employee referrals. Using social networks to stay in contact with past employees is easier than ever before! Don’t miss out on un-advertised positions, keep in touch!

Social Networks are Being Used by Employers

But you don’t need to take my word for it. Just check out this infographic from Reppler. Though it is mostly about screening, it still sends a powerful message:

Contributors

Click on a blogger to see just their posts.

Traci Adedeji: is a 40-something mother of three adult daughters and wife of local fashion designer, Raul Siro Ferreira. The family moved to Rochester from the New York City area in 2007. Having worked for over 20 years as an insurance professional, Rochester was a change of pace that precipitated a change in career for her. Traci owns Grown & Sexy Things, a lifestyle brand offering relationship enhancement products and producing signature "Grown & Sexy Girls' Night Out" events. She cites her status as "a person who wears clothes" as what makes her uniquely qualified to write about fashion. She offers real fashion and shopping tips for real women presented with her special brand of style and humor. Traci believes that true style comes not just from knowing the difference between fashion and style but also from knowing what works best for you and for your lifestyle.

She is on a mission to inspire and empower women of all ages to improve their health and well-being, upgrade their eating habits and self-care practices, achieve their ideal weight and desired body image, redefine their own health and happiness, and ultimately, create the lives of their dreams.

Laura's approach to health and life coaching is of a holistic nature. Drawing on her education, hands-on expertise and personal experience, she works with clients to help them create a healthier and happier life through better nutrition, balanced lifestyle choices, stress reduction, self-care, as well as adjustments in other areas of life that contribute to the well-being.

Laura comes from the corporate world; her background is in graphic and web design, internet marketing, search engine optimization, and social media marketing.

Laura is a passionate learner and a life-long student. She is continually studying to increase her knowledge of nutrition, holistic health and well-being, human psychology and behavior change, self-improvement, as well as entrepreneurship, modern marketing, and social media influence.

Visit her website at Happy-Healthy-Vibrant.com and take advantage of FREE initial consultation offer – mention you saw it on herRocester.com.

Emily Chen: has always had a passion for the arts, a passion that would land her a growing career in the beauty industry. At an early age she began beauty school and discovered she could utilize artistic talent and creative thinking in a career full of opportunities. Upon completing her cosmetology education, Chen began her work as a salon assistant. She attended numerous advanced workshops, seminars, hair shows, and other educational events and quickly rose to become a Artistic Director at Allora Salon & Spa in Victor. Chen enjoys working with her clients to come up with styles individualized to their needs and complimenting their natural features. In 2008, she became a Thermafuse Educator, and then a National Thermafuse Platform Artist and a member of the Thermafuse Artistic Team. Chen currently works full time as a stylist . When not in the salon, she travels the United States and Canada teaching and inspiring other stylists and promoting her love and passion of the beauty industry. "Whether you've been doing hair for ten months or ten years, there is ALWAYS something new to learn," Chen said.

works hard to live a real life. She’s not saving endangered spider monkeys and has no interest in scrap-booking. She is a self-proclaimed expert of nothing. She religiously watches football, "samples" candy from the bulk food aisle, and gets frustrated at things that don't make sense. She will probably never have a building named after her, but she donates as she can. She’s conscious of her carbon footprint but hasn't made the switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs. She thinks the whole world should be in therapy and every day she promises that she’ll start exercising tomorrow. She’s nowhere near where she thought she would be at this point in her life, but she’s a really good person with high standards for herself. She’s kind, thoughtful, and determined to help others often at the detriment to herself. She strongly believes in and practices the Golden Rule and she's doing her best, every day, to make sense of this crazy, chaotic and not-so-bad ride we call life. And you know what? She’s getting there.

Tokeya C. Graham consistently works towards personal growth. She applies the principles of what she calls "Soulstainable Living": reducing her negative karma footprints by recycling positive energy for the benefit of others. She believes that we are we responsible for own happiness and should work hard to achieve it. Tokeya is a word wrangler by day and a dream spinner at night. She currently teaches English at Monroe Community College's Damon City Campus. Since 2005, she has owned and operated T. Cornell Writing Resource which offers comprehensive writing services and workshops. Additionally, she is a popular local public speaker who is requested at many events that focus on helping women and girls become their best selves. A Rochester native, Tokeya continues to live in the city with her husband and their children.

Michelle Inclema is a freelance writer, social media junkie and bride-to-be. When she isn't tweeting or wedding planning, she takes to the stage for community theatre productions. She is a Nazareth College graduate who also volunteers for area nonprofits. She resides in the City's Neighborhood of the Arts, where she enjoys soaking in all the artistic and cultural experiences that her native city has to offer!

Tricia Kuntz: is the owner of The Purple Painted Lady, a custom-painted furniture shop, and has been repurposing furniture and painting murals for over 10 years. She is quick to help others with projects that can transform their house into their home. Visit her shop in Palmyra and you will find her enthusiasm is contagious. She refers to herself as a contemporary woman with heirloom hobbies. Her painting includes a wide range of pieces, from French Country and traditional to whimsical and eclectic, to Shabby Chic. She loves resurrecting old wood furniture, giving a side table new life with paint or taking a forgotten dresser and transforming it into the favorite piece in a home. She is a three-time Homearama participant and an Annie Sloan Chalk Paint certified stockist and trainer.

She has a passion for painting and her family. Tricia lives in a big, old Victorian farmhouse, painted purple and white, in Macedon with her husband Steve and daughter Danni. She is a hometown girl, born and raised in Rochester. While traveling the globe during her mechanical engineer/software consulting days, she always looked forward to returning "home."

Tricia is available to answer any of your questions or concerns, or ease your fear of taking that paint brush to the piece Grandma gave you that is hiding in your basement. So, please email your questions to the "Dear Purple Painted Lady" at takuntz@rochester.rr.com

Joan Lincoln: A mother of three beautiful daughters, Joan hails from the Finger Lakes area. A true Rochesterian for 28 years, Joan has come from in front of the camera lens to behind the scenes and has been painting Upstate N.Y. woman more beautiful for more than a decade. Working for NYC-industry giant Trish McEvoy Cosmetics, Joan has become a sought-after makeup artist in the region over the past 13 years. Her accomplishments have always focused on female-based retail, marketing and event planning careers; however, Joan's real passion for empowering women is defined through her makeup brush and her one-face-at-a-time makeup lesson. With her blog "Beauty Buzz," Joan will provide life-enhancing solutions for readers through her collection of beauty tips and experiences.

Russ Manalastas is the clinical director of Lattimore's Spencerport clinic. He received his Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2009 from the University at Buffalo, as well as a bachelor's in exercise science in 2006. He is certified in strength and conditioning through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Russ has a passion for advocating for the physical therapy profession and treating a vast array of sports/orthopedic conditions. As a certified orthopedic manual therapist (COMT), he uses a variety of hands-on techniques in addition to exercise, to allow clients to return to their goals. Russ has particular interests in repetitive, endurance related injuries, and how he can utilize the best available evidence to help clients on the road to recovery. He lives in Rochester with his wife Kathleen, his daughter Lilia, and soon to be baby boy Manalastas coming in August."

Tiffany Mincey: is a 24-year old fitness guru who works part-time at the YMCA of Greater Rochester as a Group Exercise Fitness Instructor. She is certified in cycling, hi-lo aerobics, and step-aerobics. She recently competed in a local fitness competition called the "Rep X Challenge" and placed 2nd after doing more than 1,200 squats in a row.

Tiffany participated in Division I track and field and women’s rowing at the State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo). She also competed in the Empire State Games in the 400-meter hurdles.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish (double minor in International Business and Education) from SUNY Buffalo. In 2011 she earned her Masters of Public Administration from Florida International University in Miami. She works full-time in public safety with the City of Rochester.

Wendy Rockcastle: is co-owner of two Rockcastle Florist locations in Rochester and Canandaigua. She has over 20 years of experience as a small business owner and designer. Wendy enjoys teaming up with other professionals as well as mentoring young start-ups and students. She volunteers through the Greece Chamber of Commerce to work with the Young Entrepreneur Academy (YEA). Her daughter, Mary is study art in New York City. She has been married to her husband/business partner Keith for over 25 years. Wendy and other Rockcastle staff discuss all things floral on their blog Talk about Flowers at RockcastleFlorist.wordpress.com. You can contact her at wjrockcastle@rockcastle.com

Rosa Smith-Montanaro: is your virtual weight loss and wellness coach. She is the author of Mind Over Platter®: Train Your Brain to Think Thin and the award-winning creator of MindOverPlatter.com. Rosa is a certified Success Coach with an expertise in weight management and the mind/body connection. She is also certified at the Master level in Hypnosis, Neuro Linguistics Programming (NLP), Thought Field TherapyTM (TFT), Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), Herbal Specialist and Humanistic Neuro Linguistic Psychology. Rosa teaches seminars throughout the country on the mind/body connection and how to create a life that is a reflection of your values. Rosa and her husband live in Greece and have three children. She welcomes you to blog with her and discover how you can create a healthier, happier and balanced life. Rosa can be reached at MindOverPlatter@aol.com.

Jen Ulrich: owner of Answers To Organizing, has been a professional organizer in the Rochester area since 2005 and is truly passionate about this work. Her hands-on, supportive approach assists clients in de-cluttering residential and small office spaces. But for Jen, organizing is not just about the "stuff." It's making people feel better about their environments, and ultimately about themselves; she instructs her clients on easy-to-maintain systems and time management skills that yield benefits with finances, relationships, and personal development.

Pauleen Vacca lover of all things lifestyle and local, is an event designer and party planner. Being immersed in the events field for over five years, Vacca has worked with many notable clients and companies, both nationally and abroad, including Amazon, Johnson & Johnson, Gap Inc., Shakira, and Drake. After working in both Rochester and New York CIty, Vacca opened Pauleenanne Design in 2011. With a focus on social gatherings, corporate events, and weddings, Pauleenanne Design services events in the Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, and Finger Lakes Regions. Vacca is also an avid social media user, with a love for the platform Pinterest, and a self taught graphic designer. When not busy with the business, Vacca enjoys going to her favorite Rochester restaurants, finding artistic inspiration, and jet setting whenever possible.

Robin Harisis has always loved to organize. Even as a child, she made drawer dividers for her dresser and cataloged all her stuffed animals according to species. These activities demonstrate an appreciation for the process of bringing things into order. This has been a calming influence throughout her life.

After earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Messiah College, Robin worked in a variety of fields. She was the coordinator for a youth job training program, a manager in a production lab, and a salesperson for a veterinary supply distributor. Her natural organizing and people skills were honed through these endeavors. They are now the main focus in her current venture. She is the founder of Room Service Personal Organizing, LLC and a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers. Robin finds fulfillment in motivating and teaching others to find their organizational "happy place."

Robin lives in Ontario, New York with her husband, two kids, and one well-mannered dog. She enjoys the outdoors, sports, reading, home decorating, and of course, organizing.